Tax Court of Canada welcomes new judge Perry Derksen

The Minister of Justice and Attorney General of Canada, Arif Virani, has announced the appointment of Perry M.D. Derksen as a judge of the Tax Court of Canada.

Justice Derksen was born and raised in Winkler, Manitoba. He completed his undergraduate studies and earned his Bachelor of Laws at the University of Manitoba. He was called to the Manitoba bar in 1999 and subsequently to the bars of Ontario and British Columbia in 2006 and 2009, respectively.

Derksen's career spans over two decades in tax litigation, marked by significant roles at the Department of Justice Canada. He began his professional journey as a sheriff’s officer while studying at the University of Manitoba and completed his articles at the Department of Justice Canada, eventually joining the tax section. Throughout his career, he has represented the government in complex cases before various courts, including the Tax Court of Canada, the Federal Court of Appeal, the Manitoba Court of Appeal, and the Supreme Court of Canada.

In addition to his litigation work, Justice Derksen has contributed to the legal community by speaking at conferences organized by the Canadian Tax Foundation and the Advocates’ Society.

At the time of his appointment, Derksen held the position of senior general counsel at the Department of Justice Canada’s British Columbia Regional Office.

Justice Derksen assumes his new position following the resignation of Justice S.K. D'Arcy, effective May 1. His appointment comes shortly after the recent addition of Laurie A. Goldbach, formerly a partner at Borden Ladner Gervais (BLG) LLP in Calgary, to the Tax Court of Canada.

Minister Virani expressed confidence in Derksen’s ability to serve Canadians effectively, stating, “I wish Justice Derksen every success as he takes on his new role. I am confident he will serve Canadians well as a member of the Tax Court of Canada.”